Rotary intaglio printing press



y A. M. WICKWIRE, JR

ROTARY INTAGLIO PRINTING PRESS Filed July 5, 1940 .mmmim INVENTOR ARTHUR M./|CKVV|RE BY ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1944 Arthur M. Wickwire, Jr., Mountain Lakes, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Fred Goat 00., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 5, 1940, Serial No. 343,914

Claims.

This invention relates to printing presses and particularly to an improved rotary intaglio printing press and method of feeding a web therethrough.

In multicolor rotary intaglio printing, work is 4 constantly being done to increase the speed of operation of the presses. One particularly important consideration in the design of any multicolor press involves the ratio of the length of live web (that portion of the web beyond the printing couple in which the printed surface does not contact any rollers) to the length of dead web (the web portion between the place where the printed surface first contacts a roller and the next printing couple); and it is desirable to maintain this ratio as high as possible. Another important consideration in connection with press design and higher press speeds, is the rate at which the ink will dry.

The recent development of presses in which inks containing very volatile solvents can be used has permitted higher press speeds. However, even though the ink may dry quickly, it is esential to provide a considerable length of live web between units of a multicolor press, in order that the web may be sufficiently dried to permit the proper application of a second color. Due to the usual arrangement of intaglio printing couples and the manner of inking an intaglio printing cylinder, the space beneath and between the printing couples has served no particularly useful purpose; and to provide the necessary length of live web for effective drying, the web has usually been led over some sort of elevated structure. Such structures, aside from requiring large amounts of space, have rendered the threading of the press somewhat diflicult, and usually increased the length of dead web, with resulting problems in register.

Another important factor in connection with the general problem of gaining greater speed in intaglio printing is the adaptability of the press to rapid changes of the printing cylinders. Where highly volatile inks are employed and the major portion of the printing clyinder is enclosed in an ink housing, such changes are both difficult and time consuming.

I have discovered that when the web is arranged-to be fed substantially vertically downwardly through a horizontally disposed printing couple, the remainder of the press may be designed so as to permit an increase length of live web between units with an accompanying utilization of the space below the printing couple and such an arrangement is adapted for rapidly changing printing cylinders when desired.

In accordance with my invention, a substantially horizontally disposed printing couple is mounted in a pair of horizontal members of a printing unit frame. Rollers for directing the web into the printing couple are journalled in a suitable supporting structure arranged above the printing couple and the horizontal frame member. This particular supporting structure is movable with respect to the frame, and preferably is adapted to be swung or otherwise suitably moved to an inopertaive position, thereby to permit ready access to the printing couple and easy removal of the printing cylinder. Rollers may be provided below the printing couple so that the printed web may be led, with the printed surface free from contact with any other surface, to the rollers in the movable supporting structure of the next adjacent printing unit, and thence to the printing couple thereof.

The above and other features and objects of my invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

7 Fig. l is a side elevation view, somewhat diagrammatic, of a multicolor intaglio printing press embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the color units showing the details of the movable superstructure; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. l.

I have shown my invention, in the present instance, embodied in a rotary intaglio printing press of the general type disclosed in my copending application, Serial Number 217,139, filed July 2, 1938, and in the application of Irving Gurwick, Serial Number 168,715, filed October 13, 1937. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted in its use to such a machine, but may be used in rotary printing machines generally,

Referring now to the drawing, it will be observed that a web I0 of paper, cellulosic, textile, or other suitable material which is to be printed, is fed from a suitable source of supply (not shown) beneath a guide roller I2 and into a multicolor rotary intaglio printing press, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 14. The multicolor printing press may comprise a first color unit l6, a second color unit l8, and

as many additional color units or other web decrease in the length of deadweb. Moreover, a ing devic as may-be desired. Each color cally disposed member extendinglabove thehor-izontal member 26 and havingasuitable proieet ing hub 30 provided adjacent the upper end thereof. Pivoted to the hub 30, at each side of the press, is an auxiliary movable supporting structure which comprises a substantially horizontally disposed member 32, having an integral downwardly extending foot- 34; at: the; outer. end thereof and. arranged. substantially at right angles=.thereto..@. It.- WillnbflIlQtEii that-the foot 34 is; positioned.- ,above..-the= impression cylinder 28; andxsisr supported; on; a suitable shoulder- 35 providedionrthe; horizontal support, 2 h

As showzu in Fig. 2 the; horizontally disposed members sz tat each side of the press,- form a support. forathe shafts,---ofz a=-main feed. roll 36 and; two: auxiliary; rollers +381- and: 4B. Feedv roll tfia'may be: driven; in any; conventional. manner, if desired. An. idler gear 62 meshing with. a gear 4.4 cm the mainifeedwroller. 36. drives the roller- 38; through 1. a gearq ili and a second idler 48 meshihg-iwithothes gear-4B and -a gear. 50 provided on; the shaftyoj the. roller. b causes the latterto:-be rotated. 'Aslindicatedyinfig. 1, the web, lil passesqfromirolleri2 over. driven roller 36;,undersrollervsfl; over when 46 and thento the substantially,- horizontal printing couple. 26, 28. From thelnrintingcouplelthe Web .ID passes downwardly over. a. guide roller 52. to. a: large roller. .54.: which- 1 is suitably; mounted. in. bearing braclsetsfitwecured to thelower frame 2.0,;and may. be drivemif desired. At thispointthe Web passes upwardly to the-driven roller'tfiz. of the nextprinting. unit; ldlersrollers. 5.8 maybe-provided: betweennthe. rollerrfifinand the next-.zroller 35, if desired. It willibecobserved that. from the printing. cylinderwEt-to; the: following roller 3.5; the.;l rintedisurface of the-web:doeslnot con-.- tact any roller. This provideswithout. anyextradrying space airnaximum lengthmf liveweb between printingi units; so aslto permit theink to dry sufilciently; before -contacting a roller surface: Itwill. alsobeinotedthat the lengthbf dead. web. between T the-roller. 25.6 and; printing upleof th next pr nt n u it is considerab y shontenthan-in prior gsuccessfuli printing. presses, thereby greatly; reducing;: the: possibility of. the webto get out .otregister. Theserare considered important-,features; of: the; present. pressarrangemerit.

To facilitate the drying of thewebinits-pas: sage. from; the first. printing,- couple; 26-; 28;, to theroller;. of the; nextprinting; unit,. I-i'have found.it;..d-csirable3to;heat: the roller: 54- and so construct-it and arrange itwithrespect tothe firstprintingcouple and theiidler rollers 58that a laif fi -area orlengtnof contact? for; the; web I WilL'be-provided. As shownin Fig; 3,.the roller Bit-comprises! a; large; hollow cylindrical shell. or drumyfi fi about, eighteen. inches: in diameter, hayingend walls; 52. secured; thereto; in any. con.- venient. manner,- such";as -:;by :welding, Suitable stub shafts or hubs 64 having axial passages 66 therein are rigidly mounted in the center of the end walls 52 for rotation in the brackets 56. The passage 66 in one of the hubs is closed by means of a plug 68 while the passage in the other hub is connected through a conventional rotary joint 10 with a fluid inlet pipe 12. An elongated siphon; tube'TAi' which has-.it'sopen end curved downwardly within the drum some the lowermost part thereof, is disposed concentrically within the open passage 66 and connected through the rotary joint 10, to a fluid return pipe 76; With this construction, a suitable heating-.-fiuid,.such aS'lOiL-DI' water, may be circulated through: thedrum to heat the outside surface thereof to=anydesired elevated temperature for drying the" inkapplied by the first printing couple, 26-, ,28." This manner of heating the roller 54 is conventional, and it will be understood that-an'y-desired heating means, such as electrical resistance.:elements, may. be used. in. lieu thereof.- I

ln Fig sL, it Will-benotedthat. the heatedroller 54 is of such a size and is so positioned thatthe weblll, initspassage to; thenext. printing unit, is, m ma withsubstamtially .130 of the out side surface of: said. rollen. When theweb, l0 consists, of I a material :such. as Cellophane,. and when..it-. is. printed .with. a. rather. volatile rotogravure. ink,;and, is; moving at a speedlof, from 30 to. 4.(10.- feet.- per minute in.- an; apparatus 1 of the-.for m shown inFig. 1,.I-.have. found that a web contact entrain-.160? to..180.? (the angleA-in Fig, 1),ofdrumsurfaceand asdr-um temperature of betweemlll) Ifland 1 assists.-in.-.producing satisfactory-drying. of, thefirst. applied impresssionbefore-the. web contacts the roller: 36-.of the second, printing unit. It will be .:understood. th at this manner of heating thefreshly printedweb causes dryingtotakeplace from. thebottomof the ink. film; rather, than.: the. exposed. surface and. thus. effectively prevents skin drying .of the film.. I During; the use. of any printingspress changes in. printing cylinders; are often made; With the usualimulti-color printinginressmherethe-print ing, couples are; arranged: in a-, substantially; V81.- tical. plane instead of, a .horizontal.-plane,-. it is usually. difficult to-.-- change printing cylinders; 'l-loweveng with; my present. arrangement, the changing ;of. printing :cylindersisgwatly, simplh fled, since. the. printing. cylinder is-.:'notbeneath the impression. cylinder, and the? auxiliary sumporting-,structure 32v is. movable. asv described above... I..have-.provided; additional ,mechanism for. moving the: auxiliarysupporting structure to .-,an. inoperative: position away;-from the :print mg. couple, sol-that.. the: members 32 constitute. in efiect. a swinging superstructure.

As showninflthe drawing, each of the members 32' has. a..gear. .segment 118,-. suitably mountednon the inner face: thereof and arrangedsubstB-n: .tial-ly;- concentric. with. the pivot of 1' the; hubs 30'; The. teeth of the: gear segments, l8iiare; adapted t meslrwithvtheteeth-of 'small;gears amounted oma: shaft, 82: which isfjournalledu'ini therupper side frames 22 near the topsithereoi. At one side of the'press thegshaft-M mayi-projectzthrough the; adiacentz'frame; member; ZZP-and. be; provided with-a suitable crank;- org-handler. 8.4: 'li'luisg-iv by rotating .the :OIQIlkf. 8.4 in a: clockwise: direction; the superstigueiuuev may; be.i moved; from: Opere- .tlYsEi: position;; to; the inoperative positionin dieated in; dot'randr dasha'lines in; .E'ig.- 1% When 111271711153 positiom. ita will be; apparent that the printing cylinder 26 may be readily removed from the bearings provided in the horizontal frame member 24.

It is to be understood that, if desired, a worm gear and pinion could be substituted for the gear segment construction described above; that various counterbalances may be employed for facilitating the raising of the superstructure; and that the shaft 82 may be rotated by means of a worm gear and pinion, or the superstructure raised directly by such means. Various other changes may be 'made in the construction and arrangement herein described, and certain features may be employed without others, without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 235,964, filed October 20, 1938.

What I claim is:

1. In a printing press, the combination of side frames; a substantially horizontally disposed printing couple supported by said side frames; and a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said side frames above said printing couple and carrying means for guiding a web to said printing couple.

2. In a printing press, the combination of side frames; a substantially horizontally disposed printing couple supported by said side frames; and a movable superstructure pivotallysecured to said side frames above said printing couple, said movable superstructure having a plurality of rollers journalled therein for guiding ea web to a position above said printing couple.

3. In a printing press, the combination of side frames; a substantially horizontally disposed printing couple supported by said side frames; a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said side frames above said printing couple and carrying means for guiding a Web to said printing couple; and means for moving said superstructure to an inoperative position away from said printing couple so as to permit ready access thereto.

4. In a multicolor printing press, the combination of side frames; a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed printing couples journalled in said side frames; and a plurality of movable superstructures pivotally secured to said side frames, one of said movable superstructures being arranged above each of said printing couples for guiding a web thereto.

5. A rotary printing press, comprising a pair of side frames each including a horizontal member and a vertical member extending above said horizontal member; a printing cylinder journalled in said horizontal members; and a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said vertical members and carrying means for guiding a Web to said printing cylinder.

6. A rotary printing press, comprising a pair of side frames each including a horizontal member and a vertical member extending above said horizontal member; a printing cylinder journalled in said horizontalmembers; and means for guiding a web to said printing cylinder, said means being carried by a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said vertical members and having feet contacting said horizontal members when it is in operative position.

'7.'A rotary printing press, comprising a pair of side frames each including a horizontal member and a vertical member extending above said horizontal member; a printing cylinder journalled in said horizontal members; a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said vertical members and having feet contacting said horizontal members when it is in operative position said superstructure carrying means for guiding a web to said printing cylinder; and means for moving said superstructure to an inoperative position away from said printing cylinder.

8. A rotary printing press, comprising a pair of side frames each including a horizontal member and a vertical member extending above said horizontal member; a. printing cylinder journalled in said horizontal members; a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said vertical members and having feet contacting said horizontal members whe it is in operative position said superstructure carrying means for guiding a web to said printing cylinder; and means for moving said superstructure to an inoperative position away from said printing cylinder, said last mentioned means including a gear segment secured to the superstructure and a gear adapted to mesh therewith.

9. A rotary printing press, comprising a pair of side frames each having an integral projecting hub near the top thereof; a substantially horizontally disposed printing couple supported by said side frames; a movable superstructure pivotally secured to said hubs and disposed above said printing couple said superstructure carrying means for guiding a web to said printing couple; and means for moving said superstructure to an inoperative position away from said printing couple.

10. In a multicolor printing press, the combination of side frames; first and second substantially horizontally disposed printing couples journalled in said side frames; a movable superstructure pivotally mounted in said side frames and disposed above said second printing couple, said superstructure carrying means for guiding a web to said second printing couple; and means for guiding a web downwardly from said first printing couple and then upwardly directly to the guiding means carried by said superstructure, the freshly printed surface of the web being free from contact with any surface between said first printing couple and said superstructure.

ARTHUR M. WICKWIRE, JR. 

